“It’s a hellava start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.” – Lucille Ball

Most of the time it’s easy to find things that bother or irritate us. Often it’s just as easy to find things that we want or wish for, but it’s a whole other challenge to find what makes us happy.

When I was 22, I ended my relationship with a longtime boyfriend. In fact, we were engaged, but it just wasn’t a situation that I felt could work. I wasn’t happy.

After ending a relationship that I had believed I wanted since the 4th grade, I was really lost. I mean, there was not a map, compass, GPS, or Uber who could have gotten me where I needed to be.

I went on a few first/last dates. There was one nice guy who I ran off with a massive meltdown after a way too late night at karaoke.

It took a blind date, two follow up dates, and meeting his Grandpa Joe and Grandma Dorothy before I began to believe happiness could be found with the man who is now my hubby.

Love is one arena that seems to give happiness a run for its money, but once we give love a chance, we’ve got a hellava lot better chance at finding happiness.

The same can be said for our careers and friendships. Joy in what we do and those we surround ourselves with is a whole lot harder to find when we don’t know what we are looking for. When I found today’s quote from Lucille Ball, half a dozen ideas came to mind, but the one I thought most beneficial was the notion that we need to take stock of just what it is that makes us happy.

Much like Lucy in the chocolate factory episode, we often try to take on as many opportunities as possible. Well, this overload chokes up the happiness search and we can’t digest all of the stuff that we have taken in.

We are much better off giving happiness the same approach as Lucy’s start in the grape crushing episode.

Give new things a try one step at a time. Once you find something that fits, pick up the pace; allow yourself room develop in that situation or skill. Smile as you explore.

If things start to turn rotten, before you let the grapes fly, consider what made that situation sour. Was it you? Was it the timing? Was is someone else? What is something beyond your control? Is it something you can work past? Is it something you can grow from?

Once you find a way to put energy into growing in those enjoyable situations, it will be a whole lot easier to get going on that happiness and that’s a hellava start.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. If you need a break from unhappiness, take an “I Love Lucy” break. The love is right there in the title.